Stepping up its campaign to lure away Wells Fargo and First Interstate customers, Glendale Federal bank yesterday announced it will offer a $36 bounty to big bank clients who transfer their checking accounts.

For the past year, Trafton has been trashing big banks with his "fed up" advertising campaign.

The Southern California-based S&L claims it has increased the number of checking account customers from 150,000 to more than 200,000 in the past year and continues to add about 3,000 to 4,000 new accounts a month.

Glendale will offer $6 per month, for the first six months, to big-bank customers who open a new checking account and either have direct deposit of paychecks or maintain a minimum daily balance of $600. For those with smaller balances, Glendale will waive its $6 monthly fee for six months.

Glendale is not the only competitor trying to capitalize on the resentment that some customers feel about the merger of the state's second- and third-largest banks.

Sanwa Bank California, soon to become the largest bank based in Los Angeles, is expected to unveil its own advertising blitz and financial inducements on Monday to attract Wells and First Interstate customers.

Sanwa Bank Senior Vice President John Schrup said that in the past week Sanwa has gained more than $25 million in new loan and deposit business from First Interstate commercial and retail customers in Northern California.